School for Specialised Students
by x-Scarlet Warrior-x
Summary: Meet Uchiha Sasuke, a rich heir who attends the mysterious 'SSS' aka. the 'School for Specialised Students.' Meet Haruno Sakura, she enters Sasuke's life in a way he doesn't expect. They soon find themselves unable to accept the sudden turn of events. And what's this? They have to entrust their life to one another? Oh dear. Will it be a tragic disaster or an unexpected opportunity?
1. The Encounter

**School for Specialised Students**

**Disclaimer:** I claim NO ownership of 'Naruto' or any of its syndicated characters. Both the manga and its characters are property of Japanese manga artist Masashi Kishimoto. Moreover, this is a work of fan fiction and is strictly for entertainment purposes only; no monetary gain is made.

This is my first Naruto fanfic. Characters may be OOC and (just to make this clear) this is an AU fanfic.

Enjoy! :D

* * *

**Chapter 1: The encounter**

**Normal POV**

'_It's here,' _she thought, as she stared blankly at the apartment door that stood in front of her. Having just climbed twenty flights of stairs (since she believed that the elevator would not challenge her physically), she was impressed.

With care she guided her index finger ever so slowly around the delicate arched gold etchings. Its golden hinge, showing no sign of old age, glowed brightly and did nothing to hide the technical intricacies in its ornate structure.

'_Rich,' _she concluded and after a scrutinising glance at the intercom system mounted on the wall to her left, '_first class security. As expected.'_

Lowering her messenger bag, she rummaged through its contents quickly and nodded once she confirmed that the documents that she needed were present. After one brief check of her clothes, she fiddled with her earrings one last time and reached for the intercom.

* * *

**Sasuke's POV**

"Yo, Sasuke! You're getting a new maid today. Aren't you excited?" Naruto was in high spirits as usual. "Since she gets to live with you, hopefully she'll be cute!"

"As long as she does her job correctly." I sighed and turned to look at the clock across the room. "She's scheduled to be here… right about now."

"It _just_ turned 8:00am! Why don't you wait a bit longer?"

"Hn." If she was late on her first day, she was probably as pathetic as all the others before her. The previous maids all possessed ulterior motives. They either stole something of monetary value or were desperate fan girls who came to "seduce me" for my looks, education or title: "Heir of Uchiha Financial Enterprise."

How much farther from the truth can one get? It's merely a title with influential power. I've got nothing to do with the main company. For me to work with _that _old man?

Over my dead body.

"Oi! Sasuke! Did you hear what I said? I think I just heard your doorbell ring! Tell me if she's cute and also - " I blanked out the rest of Naruto's nonsense and smirked.

Doorbell? She came just on time then.

**Normal POV**

Sasuke headed towards the front door, and turned to look at the intercom, expecting to send the woman away at once.

To say he was surprised would be an understatement. The girl on screen looked completely different from the previous maids that he had come across. She wore what looked like formal business attire, comprising of a black blazer on top of a white blouse, with straight black trousers and heels. She had no makeup on. At all. And to accessorise all she had on were a pair of silver stud earrings. What surprised him even more was that her hair was pastel pink. It was neatly combed back in a short mid-ponytail and contrasted with her emerald green eyes and porcelain skin. On her right shoulder was a messenger bag which clashed with her formal outfit. He also noted that her forehead was abnormally on the large side which stood out from her petite, slender frame.

'_Is this _really_ the new maid?' _Sasuke wondered incredulously as he stared at the screen in shock. Her first impression didn't exactly scream 'fan girl' or 'money grabber.' And although she looked uptight, he admitted that she was rather pleasant looking. Spotting the large brown envelope that she currently had clutched in her hands, he knew that she was indeed his new maid.

"Is _no one_ going to open the door?" the woman breathed with a hint of impatience laced within her words.

"Yes. Come in," Sasuke's low, gruff voice returned. He smirked as he pressed 'Open door' on the intercom interface. _'This might be interesting.'_

The pink haired woman sauntered in as the door buzzed open and looked at her surroundings. _'As the rumours say…Impressive. The Uchiha on the other hand…'_

Uchiha Sasuke, fair skinned with onyx eyes, was dressed in his casual attire, consisting of loose sweatpants with a tight-fitting blue t-shirt, which clung to his well-built figure. His abs were clearly outlined and his muscles were greatly emphasised. Neither of which caught her attention. What caught her attention the most was in fact the scar that was half-hidden by his sleeve on his arm. It was a light fleshy pink jagged line that seemed to be much bigger than what was on show. Its size and shape betrayed the true nature of the wound that had been inflicted and the lack of care that was taken.

'_A knife wound…? Why - ' _

Before Sakura could think any further she noticed that she had been staring for quite some time. Quickly shifting her eyes away from his arm, she introduced herself.

"Haruno Sakura. Your new maid." She politely bowed and stretched out her arm to hand over the documents that she had been holding. Sasuke wore an unreadable expression as he took the documents from her and glanced over its contents.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he nodded, as he quickly slid the papers back inside the envelope. "As I'm sure you've been informed," Sasuke began in a professional manner. "I only hire _one_ maid to do housework. So as my _only_ maid your role consists of three things: cleaning, laundry and meals. As for your accommodation, a guest room has been arranged for you. I also understand that someone will be bringing your luggage tomorrow?" Looking at Sakura's indifferent expression he continued, "Please be aware that you are not to enter my room or my Study under any circumstance. And I expect complete confidentiality and efficiency in your work."

"Yes. I understand," Sakura curtly replied and did not miss the look of confusion on the impassive Uchiha's face. "Is there something that you need?" she asked, her face betraying no emotion at all.

"No," he responded, taken aback. "Do you have any further questions?" '_Weird_. _Why hasn't she squealed or fan-girled over me?' _he thought, as he eyed her curiously.

"No. I've read the job description. I'm fully aware of my responsibilities."

Sasuke raked a hand through the silky obsidian tresses of his hair while he watched the girl's retreating back. He kept his eyes on her as she walked into her designated room. Sasuke was confused over her indifferent behaviour and even more bewildered that she had had a dead expression throughout the whole ordeal. From the details he had scanned through earlier, he had learnt that she was his age, 19. Yet her emerald eyes were dull and lacked the liveliness of a 19 year old. She possessed a strictly professional manner and didn't seem to even carry a smile. _'She seems capable, so far…' _Sasuke sighed as he dismissed any lingering thoughts and returned to his room.

* * *

**Normal POV**

Sasuke, having heard the sounds of chiming cutlery, trailed out of his room to see what progress the new maid had made. He observed the hallway and slid his finger along one of the window panes and then along one of the book shelves. _'Clean,' _he thought, impressed that the maid had managed to clean the whole apartment in less than an hour. And a good job she had done, too.

Perking up at the smell of tomatoes, he led himself into the kitchen. Haruno Sakura was now in her maid uniform, standing with her back against him, preparing lunch.

**Sasuke's POV**

I observed her from head to toe. The maid uniform, a black and white frilly styled dress, looked okay on her, didn't it? Although it contrasted with her personality…

I smirked as I watched her. She was so engrossed in the task at hand that she hadn't even noticed I had arrived.

But just then, something caught my eye. As I continued to watch Haruno slice the tomatoes it became more and more apparent. The speed of her cutting was amazing. A series of consistent slices were quickly formed with short, sharp movements of the knife, each time conveying a precise and elegant image. I looked at the side of her face which was visible and realised that she wasn't exactly 'engrossed' as I had imagined. Her emerald eyes had suddenly gained life and the look of melancholy had disappeared. Her eyes looked distant but still shined vibrantly with a glint of joy. She looked distracted, caught in thought.

It was then that I realised. She wasn't even _looking_ at the tomatoes. She was inattentively staring at the cupboard ahead of her, yet she was _still_ cutting what was beneath her knife with such ease and precision.

Odd.

**Sakura's POV**

Onii-chan. Tell me. What _am_ I doing here...

_**- Flashback - **_

"_Niiii-chan!" My face lit up and I broke out with a grin as I caught sight of him and enthusiastically waved in his direction. "Watcha doing?" I yelled, my cheeks carried a rosy red colour, my hair shaken from the blowing wind, as I cocked my head to one side. _

_I was 11 years old, young, innocent and had way too much energy to spare._

"_Watching clouds," he replied with a grin that mirrored mine, as he propped himself up on his elbows and held up his fingers in a 'peace' sign. He had been lying down in the field outside our house. _

"_Ohhh. I'll join you then! Wait for me!" I ran over without waiting for his answer and lay down beside him on the grass. I laughed as I unexpectedly felt a tickling sensation at the back of my neck from the blades of grass cushioning me. _

_"Hmmm… oh look! That one's an ice cream!" I giggled as I pointed at a passing cloud and stretched my arm as far as I could in attempt to reach it. "I bet you its vanilla. No wait! Chocolate chip!"_

"_Saki...it looks like a sheep. See the four legs?" Nii-chan pointed out, turning his face to look at me and laughing as the expression on my face dropped. I was so sure that it had been an ice cream._

"_Huh? Four legs? Noooo, it's an ice - ... oh. But, I swear! I _saw_ the ice cream! I did! Really!" My stomach suddenly grumbled, and I sheepishly looked away._

"_Saki, you didn't eat again?" He stood up suddenly, shielding me from the sun, and looked at me with worry in his eyes. I hated it the most when Nii-chan was worried. _

"_Uh-huh! Kaa-chan told me to but I ran out to see you before she could catch me!" I impishly beamed, sitting up so I could see Nii-chan properly. _

"_Do you know what happens to naughty girls who don't eat?" he raised his eyebrows playfully as he bent down to pick me up and swung me around. _

"_The Bogey Monster comes at night to _gobble_ them up!" Letting go of me he put out his hands in a claw shape and "roared" which caused me to react with fits of laughter. Nii-chan always knew how to make me laugh._

_He was the _best_ older brother in the world!_

"_But Kaa-chan will be mad at me if I go now! Nii-chan… she's worse than the Bogey Monster when she's angry!" I whined, and folded my arms across my chest in protest._

_Nii-chan rolled his eyes at my hysterics but his eyes softened as he replied, "Let's go back together then. As your Knight, I'll use my power to protect the Princess," he teased as he stood up, brushing away the grass on his trousers and stuck out his hand._

"_Let's go, Hime." I loved it the most when Onii-chan called me 'princess.'_

_Hn!" I shouted eagerly, breaking out into a wide grin as I took his hand. I swung our hands back and forth as we walked home. _

_**- End Flashback -**_

Haruno Yukio. My older brother, five years my senior, who treated me like a spoilt little princess. How long had it been since then...

**Normal POV **

"Haruno?...Hey... Haruno!" Sakura was forced to break free from her train of thoughts and came to the sudden realisation that she was absent-mindedly preparing the Uchiha's meal.

'_Her eyes went back to normal,' _Sasuke noted, witnessing the dull shine return to her emerald eyes.

"Uchiha-san," Sakura greeted, tightening her grip on the kitchen knife. _'Shit.'_

"You weren't even focusing on the food, but your cutting skills...they're not bad," Sasuke studied her. _'Almost too good.'_

"Yes," Sakura replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the Uchiha. "I hold a licence in the culinary arts."

"Hn," Sasuke's eyes narrowed at her response, seemingly unconvinced as she returned to what she was doing. '_Her speed in cleaning and _now_ the agility shown in her knife skills…' _"What are you making?" he asked, temporarily ignoring the thoughts in his head.

"Onigiri with smoked skipjack tuna and tomatoes," Sakura answered back confidently, this time without taking her eyes off her work.

"I see," he smirked as he watched her set out the dishes._ 'My favourite. She's done her homework.'_ With one final glance he walked away, his hands in his pockets as he mulled over what he'd just seen.

* * *

**Normal POV**

Sakura swiftly laid out the dishes on the dining table and watched as Uchiha Sasuke continued to read the document in his hand. _'A report…?' _

She looked up suddenly as Sasuke neatly folded the paper in two and put it inside his pocket. After a quiet "Itadakimasu," he took a small bite into the onigiri. Sakura stood back scrutinising his every move.

**Sasuke's POV**

I was surprised. It tasted good. It had a homely feel to it, like Okaa-san's home cooked food. Perhaps she really _is_ licenced in culinary arts… If that was the case, she should have become a chef… why work _here_?

"It tastes satisfactory." I looked at her and noticed that her expression had not changed as she bowed and asked to excuse herself. "Wait," I stopped her, and paused until she turned around to look me in the eye. "Can you take this and put it on the shelf outside my Study." I took off my watch and reached out to her.

"Yes, I understand," she answered back stoically, walking back towards me. I watched as Haruno reached for the watch but before it could reach her hand, I let go quickly. Brief expression of shock crossed her face, but it was gone as quickly as it arrived. My watch fell to the floor and I froze. I was sure that it had briefly touched her hand. She had managed to catch it …but had then _let go_ of it? It didn't make sense.

"I'm sorry. It hit the ground but it seems to be in good condition," she looked straight at me, her expression unchanged, with my watch in her hand.

"You have quick reflexes." I was impressed but it only deepened my previous suspicions. Just who _was_ she?

"Yes. So I've been told," Haruno replied, unperturbed. "It would have been impossible to catch. I had wet hands." Indeed, as I took a quick look at her hands, they _were_ wet. So it was just a coincidence? That she had managed to go as far as holding the watch but it slipped?

I couldn't tell what she was thinking. She intrigued me. I watched her back for the second time today as I took another bite into the onigiri.

**Sakura's POV**

I slipped up.

I was inside my room, my hands behind my head as I lay on my bed listening to the sound of my soft breathing, the only sound in the room. The indulgent, overwhelming softness of the mattress did nothing to comfort me. I brought up my hands and looked at them in disgrace. I remembered the watch which had been in my hands just seconds ago. It was an expensive Rolex, custom made and one of a kind. Gold in colour, and cool to the touch. I expected as much from the young Uchiha heir.

Was it on purpose? He dropped his watch… but from the speed of the fall it looked less and less like an accident…

**Normal POV**

Sakura got up suddenly, slapping her hands on her face as if she was fighting away any misery which she had just displayed moments ago. She glanced towards her bedroom door as the front door bell sounded throughout the house. _'Who could it be?'_

She listened quietly as she heard slow footsteps, Uchiha's, walking towards the front door.

"Dobe," he heard him greet the stranger.

'_Weren't there two visitors?' _Sakura wondered aloud. She had clearly heard two sets of footsteps aside from Uchiha's. She opened the door slightly to have a look at the situation outside.

"Naruto, you're too loud," a voice behind him resounded.

Sakura gathered this guy "Naruto" was "Dobe." He wore an oversized white t-shirt with the words "Kick Ass" written across them. His spiky blonde hair complemented his cerulean eyes, and the whisker marks on his face stood out. Sakura cocked her head slightly as she tried to get a look at the other figure standing behind him. Her eyes widened as she recognised the familiar face.

'_How… why…!'_

"Yo!" The silent visitor greeted, in a laid back manner, with one hand to his forehead in mock salute. He was fair skinned, had a built body, and had spiky silver hair. Across his left eye and covering most of his face was a dark blue mask but it did nothing to hide his handsome features.

'_He _still_ wears it…'_

"Kakashi," Sasuke nodded his head in his direction as a form of greeting. "What brings _you_ here?"

"Oi, Sasuke! Where's your new maid? Is she cute? Why don't I see her? Did you make her leave already?" Naruto incessantly spoke, his words slurred in excitement.

"Oh. Is that her?" Kakashi spoke, his eyes lowering slightly as he saw Sakura peeking through her slightly opened door.

"Hn," Sasuke looked back at Sakura, not missing the odd expression on her face as she stepped out to greet them. _ 'Her expression… it changed...' _Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her.

"She's cuuute!" Naruto beamed, his eyes glistening. "I'm Uzamaki Naruto! It's nice to meet you!" he continued as he strode towards Sakura in her maid uniform.

Sakura coldly glared back, stopping Naruto in his tracks and turned her head slightly as she looked at Kakashi with a perplexed expression.

"Yeah," Kakashi began, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "She is rather cute." Sakura opened her mouth to say something but staggered backwards instead, knocking into some books on the table which fell to the ground with a loud '_thump_.'

"S-sorry. I'll excuse myself," Sakura stammered slightly as she bowed quickly and after picking up and rearranging the books, walked away, without a second look, into her room. Sasuke looked at her closed door and wondered what had just happened.

'_She looked disorientated… Maybe…' _Looking at Kakashi he wondered, _'…she's just a fangirl, after all._' He dismissed his earlier suspicions and shook his head. He couldn't piece together the facts. The cold, impassive girl who had shown impeccable skill and caution had just vanished. She had looked like a normal 19 year old girl… for at least a brief second.

"Sasuke, let's go out. We'll talk there," Kakashi smiled as he ushered both Sasuke and Naruto out of the door. He looked back at Sakura's room and smiled.

'_Sakura. You're back.'_

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

Hatake Kakashi.

It's not impossible, but it's past what you can call coincidental…

Was it set up? I couldn't get over the initial shock. _She_ had to be behind it. There's no other explanation. I'll have to check later… I looked down and reached for my pocket as I felt the slight vibrations against my skin.

A text.

_**Sender: **__Shishou_

_**Message: **__Meet me after your shift at the address below. We've got matters to discuss, haven't we?_

'_Hm' _I exhaled as I let myself free fall back onto the bed and put away my phone. _'Finally.' _I played with my stud earrings, annoyed that they felt so heavy and that's when it occurred to me.

I was alone.

Quickly rising from the bed, I opened the bedroom door and walked outside.

* * *

**Normal POV**

"Bullet proof windows," Sakura mused as she gingerly stroked the windows that she remembered cleaning earlier that day. _'Rich people are certainly of a different calibre,' _she thought as she looked around, mentally noting her observations. She stopped short when she came across a drawer and opened it. To her surprise, it wasn't locked. Inside she found a medium sized photo frame. It was turned over, covering up whatever the photo was of. '_Even the frame is expensive.' _Sakura lightly touched the frame and turned it over to find a family picture.

From what she could gather, it had been professionally taken. Both Uchiha parents and their two children stood against a white back drop. Her mouth twitched slightly when she saw the scowling younger Uchiha who obviously had not been ready for the photo. His expression contrasted the older Uchiha's who wore a calm half-smile, though not quite reaching his eyes. His hands were protectively on the younger Uchiha's shoulders.

'_Its none of my business.' _Sakura decided against investigating any further and returned the photograph, as she had found it. Looking around once more and then towards the ceiling, she noticed a small, barely noticeable, blinking light.

"A red light? A surveillance camera…" Sakura wasn't surprised. She expected that there were probably several other security measures put up around the house. The heir of a prominent company with such fame couldn't go by with just _one_ camera, right?

'_I'm being watched?… suits me just fine.'_

After one last look at the camera, Sakura returned to the laundry room.

* * *

**Normal POV**

"I guess she was shy…" Naruto nervously laughed as he recalled the icy glare Sasuke's new maid had given him. "She looked even colder than you, Sasuke," and in a smaller voice, almost like he was talking to himself, "I didn't even know that was possible…"

"Idiot," Sasuke scowled. "Shut up and eat your ramen."

"Yeah! You don't need to tell me twice. _Nothing_ beats Ichiraku ramen!"

Kakashi watched in amusement as Naruto slurped his ramen, without a care in the world, and then turned to look at Sasuke, who was now looking at his phone. "Do you have an interest in her?" Kakashi peered at the live security footage Sasuke was studying and was met with an indifferent expression.

"I'm observing her," Sasuke brusquely answered, ignoring Kakashi's inquisitive look. He lowered his eyes to the footage as he watched Haruno Sakura heading towards the laundry room.

"The maids hired at your place are thoroughly checked by the higher ups. You've got nothing to be concerned about," Kakashi returned, smiling under his mask as Sasuke simply disregarded his comment and continued to stare at the screen.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

"Shishou, I'm here," I called out, puzzled as I looked around at my surroundings. I had requested permission from Uchiha to leave after 7pm. And having followed the directions that were written on Shishou's text, here I was…at what looked like an old decrepit warehouse.

There was no light so I could hardly make sense of anything. With caution, I stepped forward onto the cracked linoleum and turned my nose as the faint odour of rats, rusty nails and mould invaded my senses.

Continuing to walk forward, I was caught by surprise when the floor beneath me, damp with water, abruptly gave way. I reacted quickly, flipping myself over onto a safer spot on the ground.

Where the heck was I? Was this some kind of twisted joke?

I scanned the room, staying in the crouched position I had rolled into, unconvinced at the would Shishou want to meet up here…? Could it be… Shishou's phone was taken by….

An enemy. I narrowed my eyes at the haunting possibility, and regretted that I had come unarmed. Sighing, I directed my attention to the sound of vibrations that could now be heard resonating somewhere in the cold, dark room. My eyes, now accustomed to the dark, searched calmly for the source. It sounded like it was coming from somewhere in front of me…

There! A mobile, old and battered, illuminated the small neighbouring area around it. I sprung up and ran towards it, wary that once the light went out I would lose awareness of its location. Touching the home button on the mobile to unlock the lock screen, a text appeared.

_**Sender: **__Unknown_

_**Message:**__ What you require is closer than you expect. Who you're seeking is just above. Tread wisely._

Closer than I expect…I looked around and it wasn't long before I noticed the shiny object beside my left foot… A flashlight! Bending down to pick it up, I observed that the on/off button on the flashlight was slightly discoloured and had faint fingernail marks on it. I brought it to my face to have a closer look and I smirked.

I had confidence. I could do this.

I turned the flashlight on and explored the room. There wasn't a lot aside from several long-forgotten crates and broken uneven pieces of wood. I peered further ahead and revelled that about 5 metres ahead of me was an elevator. Was it safe? I was better off taking stairs… but to my dismay, there were no stairs in sight. My only way up, eh? _'Who you're seeking is above,'_ the text said.

I walked vigilantly, and stopped short when I heard a faint sound. It was faint but if you had listened with care you could make out that it sounded a lot like… a trigger.

I stepped back quickly, dodging accurately as a set of arrows attacked from somewhere above. The sizes of the arrow heads were small and sharp, perfect for short distance targets but not large enough to deal great damage. Looking above me, I searched for the trigger.

It was all coming together now. I exhaled in content as I walked towards the elevator.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

Now inside the elevator, I looked around switching off the flashlight and used the dim light above me which illuminated its features. A rusty metal handrail had been ripped out of one end and the doors were covered in cobwebs and dust. The floor I stood on was a murky brown colour, but I didn't look down too long to care. To my side, were roughly 12 buttons, the first one read "ground" and the following read numbers 1, 2 ,3, up to 10 consecutively. I had no clue of which floor I was heading towards, so I took a shot and pressed '1' and waited impatiently for the elevator to start. The slow creaking of the elevator could be heard as it sprung to life, swaying with the slightest of movement.

It was a long journey. After trying floors 1, 2, 3, and 4, the elevator now stopped at floor 5. The double doors then opened to reveal entry into an enclosed, poorly lit room, noticeably larger than the ones I had been in before. Instinctively, I knew that this was the floor. It was _just_ like that person…

This is it. I would play this game no longer.

"Come out!" I called out. "I know it's you… Shishou."

**Normal POV  
**

Sounds of throaty laughter could be heard, followed by a series of appreciative clapping shortly after.

"Well done, Saki," a low-pitched female voice resounded. "You've done well."

"Shishou, cut the crap," Sakura impatiently said, as she examined the room. Suddenly, the lights turned brighter and in the distance, as Sakura quickly adjusted to the new brightness, she could see a desk and the back of a large office chair. The chair swivelled around, revealing an attractive, busty blond woman, dressed in a light green dress to go with heels. She had a peculiar diamond tattoo on her forehead and she wore a warm pink lipstick smile as she looked at Sakura.

"You guessed that it was my work? How?" The woman's eyes sparkled with vigour as she rested her chin on her hands.

"One: the flashlight switch had a slight acetone smell to it. You like to change the colour of your nails regularly. And acetone is an ingredient in nail varnish remover. Two: the arrows were not made to kill, thus proven by the angle of the attack, but to divert attention from the source. The source of the trigger, if examined carefully, had a small hidden surveillance camera, the same type as the ones you gave me," Sakura ended, removing her silver stud earrings and placing them on the table. "You were observing my every move from above, so you knew when to trigger the arrows and send the text. The camera on my earrings was conveniently used as a bonus."

The attractive blond chuckled, taking the earrings in her hands and playing with them before answering, "Yes. This was _part_ of your test. Although, I enjoyed watching your performance as Uchiha's maid..."

Sakura scowled, banging her right fist on the table. "_Part_ of my test?" she spat. "Wasn't being that guy's maid my test? If you were watching using the pinhole camera in my earrings, you _should_ approve of my skill!"

"You did well," she started, putting the earrings back on the desk. "You held your temper back tremendously and played the role of an uptight, efficient maid extremely well. However, you slipped up and caused Sasuke to hold suspicion on a couple of occasions. Firstly, the speed of your cleaning… It was _way_ too fast – cleaning an apartment his size would take a normal maid _much_ longer. Secondly, your knife skills were far too precise considering how you had zoned out, and thirdly, your reflex in catching his watch. Although you covered up your mistakes well, you should have aimed to not cause suspicion in the first place."

"He's just a normal guy who likes girls to fawn over him. The average filthy rich heir. He wouldn't have figured anything out even if I hit him hard on the head," Sakura scoffed, although she inwardly admitted that he _was_ rather observant and it seemed like he had figured that something was off.

"Who said that he was _normal_?" Sakura's shishou smirked, leaning forward as she rested her arms on the table and clasped her hands. "And another point," she held a finger in the air. "You should not have faltered when you saw Kakashi."

"What- " Sakura began, narrowing her eyes before she interrupted.

"Tsunade."

A voice called out in the open, coming from the direction that Sakura had just arrived from. "Why did you call me to such a place? This - " the figure stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw Sakura. "What are _you_ doing here?" he inquired, as he stepped closer towards both women, directing his question at the pink haired youth.

Sakura stared and blinked in confusion.

'_Uchiha?! What on earth…' _She turned away from Sasuke and held a murderous glare as she spoke. "Shishou. What is _he_ doing here?" Sakura's hands tightened into a fist and Sasuke glared, also waiting for an answer.

"Thank you for coming, Sasuke," Tsunade smiled at the young Uchiha and then looked at the both of with a stern look. Taking a deep breath, she explained, "Haruno Sakura, as of now you have my permission to enter what is publicly known as the 'SSS' or more famously known as the 'School for Specialised Students.' You are, as I'm sure, aware that this is only a public front and what you are actually entailing yourself into is an acceptance into the 'Secret Service Sector.' An academy, unknown to the public, which trains young people, such as yourselves, to support our country behind the scenes," she recapped.

"I already know that! But why is _he_ here? He - " Sakura had reached her limit and her composed demeanour had vanished.

Sasuke also was nearing his limit, '_Why the _heck_ is _she_ here? Could it be…No. No way… You've _got_ to be kidding!'_ he thought, as he waited for Tsunade to speak, praying that she would not confirm his suspicions.

Tsunade held up her hand, stopping Sakura from speaking further, and continued, "Sakura, being a maid was only the preliminary test, along with written exam that you took earlier this year. What you have just gone through to get here was part of the actual test and the other part…the hardest part…" Tsunade warily shifted her gaze towards the Uchiha whose face was now masked with irritation. _'Looks like he's already guessed…'_

"Is what?" Sakura slammed both hands onto the table and leaned forwards until she was face- to- face with Tsunade."Your real test … is to gain acceptance from _one_ person," she sighed before resuming, "You need to gain acceptance from the person that you will be working with. Only then, and _only_ then, can I fully accept you into this academy, Sakura."

"And where _exactly_ is the problem?" Sakura stood back with determination in her eyes, as she crossed her arms against her chest. It took just a second before the look in her eyes shifted and it suddenly dawned on her. "Wait, you mean…" Sakura shook her head in denial. "Y-you... you can't be _serious_! Shishou!" Sakura yelled, staring at Tsunade right in the eye, as if expecting that a miracle would occur and her answer would change.

"The person you'll be working with… your partner… is," she paused slightly, "Uchiha... Sasuke."

"WHAT!" simultaneous protests reverberated in the large room.

Tsunade sighed. This was going to be a _long_ night.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Phew! That took me two days to write… I haven't written anything in a while, with exams and all, so it much longer than expected! Anyways, please review and let me know what you think. I welcome any sort of comment – the good, the bad and the ugly.**

**:D**

**Thank you!**

x-Scarlet Warrior-x


	2. Acceptance

**School for Specialised Students**

**Disclaimer:** I claim NO ownership of 'Naruto' or any of its syndicated characters. Both the manga and its characters are property of Japanese manga artist Masashi Kishimoto. Moreover, this is a work of fan fiction and is strictly for entertainment purposes only; no monetary gain is made.

**Author's Note: **

**This chapter was a **_**lot**_** longer than I planned. And for those wondering, Naruto and his friends will have bigger roles in the chapters to come, I pinky promise! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 1 Recap:**

"The person you'll be working with… your partner… is," she paused slightly, "Uchiha... Sasuke."

"WHAT!" simultaneous protests reverberated in the large room.

Tsunade sighed. This was going to be a _long_ night.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Acceptance**

**Normal POV **

'_Partner?!'_

Sakura could not get her head around what she'd just heard. She studied the young Uchiha who by the looks of it, looked rather enraged and was currently in mid-conversation with her large-chested master.

Carrying her searching gaze from his face right down to his toes, she involuntarily shivered. _'I was that guy's _maid_...!' _To say she was embarrassed would not be far from the truth. Flashbacks of their first encounter invaded her mind and she hit her forehead in frustration, '_I'm _such_ an idiot! I should have realised…' _She remembered the half-hidden knife wound on Sasuke's arm and then the surveillance camera, the bullet-proof windows and the orders to not enter his room or study. _'I really _am_ an idiot. Since he's a Secret Service Agent, it's_ _no wonder he caught on…Was it my performance...?_' Justthinkingabout the way Tsunade plotted it all in advance so that both she and Sasuke were unaware, stirred the anger within her. She felt used. Like a mere chess piece in a losing game.

"Haruno," a deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "There's no chance in hell that I'll accept you, so you can just leave." Sasuke, with both hands in his pockets, peered up at her from under his eyelashes with a nonchalant expression.

Sakura's eyes shifted towards Tsunade, who was sitting idly behind the Uchiha, for assistance but she was greeted instead with a weak smile, as if in apology. Leaving her with no other option, she turned to face Sasuke, her left eye twitching in frustration. "Where did that professionalism from before go? Don't tell me… it was all an act?"

"_And_ reserved strictly for business," Sasuke curtly replied. "Speaking of professional, you weren't even the _slightest_ bit believable as a maid. That's all I need to see to assess your skill. Or should I say _lack_ of skill." He paused slightly and continued, "I'll tell you again. I _refuse_ to acknowledge someone like _you_ as my partner." And in a quieter tone, but obviously intending for Sakura to hear, "Even Dobe could put up a more promising act."

Recalling the blundering blonde from before, Sakura felt belittled. _'What, he doesn't think I'm good enough?!' _"Are you _purposely_ trying to rile me up, Uchiha? If that's your aim, you can forget it!" Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm _not_ giving up. I'll take whatever shit that comes my way. But I'll _make_ you recognise my talent."

Tsunade's frown deepened in discontent as she observed the interaction between her student and the dark haired Uchiha. _'This isn't going the way it was supposed to…'_ she shook her head in desperation. _'And this isn't something I can solve with brute strength, either...' _She returned her gaze to the two arguing in front of her, hoping that she would not have to resort to using force.

For a split second, a trace of amusement crossed the ever so impassive Uchiha's face but it was quickly replaced with a smug look. "If you're _trying_ to cling onto me, I think you're pathetic." And with a mocking smile added, "It's a shame. I thought you were different."

**Sakura's POV **

I had never felt so humiliated in my entire life. I had to gain acceptance from a pompous bastard like _him_?... Fate clearly isn't on my side, but no matter what game it wants to play, there's no _way_ I'm giving up without a fight.

I've come this far in 6 years. So if he thinks he can stop me now… he can think again!

**Normal POV **

Sakura took a few deep breaths before she began, "I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that just now." _'Self control… Self control!' _she chanted in her mind to remind herself to stay cool. "But I'm _not_ changing my mind, Uchiha. My word is final."

Expression unchanged, he sighed before muttering, "Suit yourself." He turned around, both hands still in his pockets as he made his way out of the wrecked warehouse.

Sakura clenched her fist and released her burning anger as she punched the nearest wall behind her. The wood began to crack and Tsunade witnessed as it gave way and slowly tumbled down. '_That strength of hers...' _she inwardly sighed, clasping her hands together as she imagined what her pupil would be feeling, and closed her eyes.

"Shishou," the pink haired girl began, leaning in so she was almost in level with Tsunade's closed eyes. "Isn't there _anyone_ else other than that bastard who can be my partner?" And after a moment of thought added, "Now that I think about it, do agents even _need_ to have partners? Can't I just go solo?" But upon reading the exasperated look in her master's now fully open eyes, she knew that her efforts were futile.

"There _are_ others," Tsunade hesitated, not missing the hope which reflected from Sakura's expression. "But _he's_ the right one. According to - "

"_Right_, my ass!" Sakura interrupted, fuming at the sheer idea of being the Uchiha's partner. "I'm not going to be partners with someone who -"

"According to the data," Tsunade interceded, speaking over Sakura with annoyance. "From the written exams, and also the physical, analytical and simulation tests… it was concluded that there was a clear correlation between both of your results."

Sakura remained silent, not liking where the blonde woman was taking this. Not sensing any resistance she continued, "The comparative results indicated that you complement Sasuke in almost all areas tested. If you were to assist each other, between the two of you, one's weaknesses and strengths would be covered by the other. It's a partnership that surprised even the higher ups."

"Surprised them… Why?"

"We haven't had such a strong relationship since…" Tsunade's expression shifted as she looked down at her hands, suddenly seeming so far away.

"Since when?" her apprentice curiously eyed her, wondering what had caused her brave master to suddenly become subdued.

"That's a story for later," Tsunade shrugged, laughing as the confident look in her eyes returned. "Anyway, what are you going to do? Sasuke's known for being solitary…"

Sakura scoffed, "No one wants to be his partner, so you're dumping the responsibility on me, right?" She huffed in indignation and spun around on her heels but stopped abruptly before sighing, "Well, whatever. It's not like I've got a choice, right?"

Tsunade smiled with affection as she watched Sakura's retreating back. '_Like father like daughter.' _But her face fell slightly as she suddenlyremembered the words Sakura had said moments ago. They echoed in her head, _"No one wants to be his partner…"_

"If only you knew..."Tsunade softly muttered as she stared aimlessly at the table. Shaking her head to dispel any unnecessary thoughts, she perked up in sudden thought.

"Sakura!" she called after her emerald-eyed student. "You just came back so you've nowhere to go, right? You should stay at my house."

Without turning around or stopping, Sakura replied, "I was planning on doing that, anyway." Reaching for something in her pocket, she dangled it in the air as she walked. "The spare security swipe card to your house…. And I assume you didn't change the password, either?" **(A/N: Tsunade lives in a grand house like Sasuke. There's an intercom which visitors have to use that allows the owner to see who it is from the inside, and there's a swipe card and a security code you have to enter if you're the owner). **

"That girl," Tsunade mused as Sakura disappeared through the door. "She's kept it all this time."

It somehow made her feel happy.

* * *

**Normal POV **

Through the slight gap in the rich red curtains, rays of sunlight poured in filling the room with warmth as it shined on the pink haired beauty that was sound sleep. But it seemed like today was not her day to lie in and her uncoordinated arm emerged from the covers as it aimlessly searched the bedside table.

"Argh, where is the damn thing?" her muffled voice complained as she restlessly turned in her bed. Swatting the objects nearby, she finally reached the correct item and she whacked it with force, violently silencing it. Now satisfied, she lifted her head from her pillow and peered through her half lidded eyes with satisfaction.

"Who in their _right_ mind would set an alarm to go off at such an unearthly hour? It could _literally_ wake up the dead!" Sakura yawned as she settled back into her bed, pulling the covers over her head.

But again, it seemed like Lady Luck was not on her side.

"_I_ did, that's who!" Tsunade's voice pierced through the silence as she stormed into the room and forced open the curtains. "And that's the 80th alarm that you've broken already, Sakura!" With one powerful tug she forcefully yanked the covers off the sleeping youth and glared as she was met with an unresponsive teen.

"83," Sakura mumbled, pulling back the covers whilst squeezing her eyes in attempt to block the light. '_I completely forgot. Shishou was never a morning person.' _"It's the _83rd_ alarm."

"SAKURA!" Tsunade growled. Having reached her limit she was now emitting a murderous aura and steam seemingly appeared to materialise above her head.

"Give me _five_ more minutes," the young student rolled away and whined. She didn't have a chance to continue before a large bucket of water came crashing down on her, sending her into a large coughing fit.

"SH-SHISHOU!" Sakura spluttered, wiping the water from her eyes and squinting as she adjusted to the light. She glared at the well-endowed woman. _'What the hell! It was ice cold as well!' _

"You're lucky it wasn't boiling!" Tsunade replied, reading Sakura's thoughts as she crossed her arms. "The alarm was set to go off at 5:00am. It's not like you _don't_ have any experience getting up at this time, so where _exactly_ does the problem lie?"

"Problem?" Sakura echoed, disbelief crossing her face. "That _is_ the problem! What _normal_ person wakes up at this time… Okay, I admit. It became natural when I used to train with you, and that was for _four_ years, too! So can't you cut me some slack? Let me have a lie in today? Pweeease!" Sakura pouted, batting her puppy dog eyes repeatedly in dire hope. She knew that despite not being a morning person Tsunade still preferred getting up early. In fact, the blonde master always chose early mornings, especially when she used to train with her apprentice in the past.

The next thing she knew, before she could protest Sakura was sent flying across the room and landed with a loud thud. Her blankets were thrown off the bed and a fuming Tsunade stared back at her as she sat rubbing her behind, disgruntled, on the floor.

"You're going to the academy today. I told you yesterday, right? I'm the Director of the SSS. You don't _plan_ on making me late, do you?" Tsunade questioned with a threatening glare, her words exposing her no-nonsense attitude.

Sakura winced suddenly as cold air bit into her skin and water slowly seeped in from her clothes. She stretched as she unhurriedly stood as up. _'It's no use arguing with her if she gets like this,'_ she inwardly thought and out loud said, "I'll be down in 15 minutes," as she grudgingly walked out towards the bathroom.

"Wear your training clothes first and take a bath later!" Sakura heard Tsunade say and she broke out into a smile.

* * *

**Normal POV **

Sakura attentively wrapped a towel around her dishevelled damp hair as she descended down the stairs. Her training session, a one-on-one unarmed duel, had proved much more interesting than she had expected. Results from her efforts and hard work for the past six years had shone through and Tsunade's mood had vastly improved once she had observed her progress first-hand. Gently clutching the right side of her abdomen, she smiled slightly. _'I'm not the only one who's changed. Shishou's raw strength, tactic and skill are also better than before.'_

Before she had reached the bottom of the staircase she had decided on one thing. She had been meaning to keep a grudge ever since the incident that morning and she had wanted her master to receive a taste of her own medicine. But the thought flew out of the window as soon as she arrived at the kitchen.

Sakura looked at the box of cereal in front of her and then at the blonde woman, who stood against the kitchen counter now accompanied with her usual cup of coffee. Tsunade lifted the ceramic mug to her pink lips and spluttered as she took a sip. Sakura stifled a laugh when she saw her face distort in discontent. Rising to her feet she swiftly removed the cup from her master's hands and poured its contents down the sink.

"It's because your ratios are wrong. You use too much coffee powder and water, and too little milk so it's bitter." Sakura busied herself as she measured out the coffee powder and poured in the water. "Oh. What happened to your coffee machine?" She waited for Tsunade's reply and when she was greeted with silence she looked up curiously to witness her annoyed expression. "You broke it? _Again_!" she snorted as she imagined what sort of face she must have had when she couldn't make coffee the next day. "I don't know _how_ you've survived without me for the past two years, Shishou!"

"It's been two years since you last trained with me… already, huh?" Tsunade gratefully accepted the cup from Sakura, the previous scowl on her face disappearing. And after a small sip she closed her eyes in satisfaction.

Sakura smiled as she saw the nostalgic grin on her face. "Yeah. It went by quickly, right? To think I lived here with you two years ago."

"Hm. It seems like it was just yesterday since that day - " she stopped mid-sentence and her eyes quickly darted towards her apprentice. " Sakura. Sorry, I - "

"It's okay, Shishou. It's been ages since then," the pink haired girl shrugged with a weak smile when she saw her mentor's eyes soften in apology.

"You know...you should really stop calling me 'Shishou' at home!" Tsunade awkwardly laughed in a clear attempt to improve the mood by diverting to a different topic.

Sakura laughed, appreciating her genuine efforts and grinned, "Sorry, it's a habit." Returning to her seat at the dinner table, she added milk to the cereal in her bowl and stared aimlessly as she stirred without purpose. _"It's _already_ been six years since that day…_'

Tsunade, noticing the distant look, quickly gave out orders, "Sakura, you've got precisely 10 minutes. Hurry up and finish otherwise I'll have to drag your sorry ass outside."

Sakrua straightened her back and peered at the clock mounted on the wall behind Tsunade. The energy and enthusiasm from before returned all at once and she regained her confident smile.

"That's right. Today I'm going to _kick_ his rich ass!" her eyes twinkled with excitement as she hurriedly shoved the next spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

* * *

**Normal POV **

"S-she was an _agent_?! ….And she's going to enter the academy... and she's now your _partner_?" Naruto blinked slowly and scratched his head in attempt to process the shocking news. A few seconds of silence passed. Deciding that it would probably just be better to go with the flow, he shook his head and patted the onyx-eyed Uchiha on the back in pity. "Teme… it could have been a lot worse."

Sasuke's left eyebrow twitched slightly in apparent annoyance as he lifted himself off the wall and stood opposite him. "What are you talking about, Dobe." He swatted Naruto's hand away and turned his head in the other direction with irritation. "I have no intention of accepting _anyon_e as my partner."

Naruto's gaze softened as he processed the words and sighed. _'Sasuke must _really_ still be hurting inside…'_ It was 7:30am (their classes started at 8:00am) and the bickering pair was currently in their classroom in the academy.

"You guys are here early! And did you just say _partner_?" a voice eagerly asked, as Naruto and Sasuke turned to face the newcomer standing in the doorway.

"Ino!" Naruto grinned broadly as he greeted the blonde girl. Yamanaka Ino was a bubbly, but bossy agent and also one of their fellow classmates. She was an attractive fair-skinned girl of average height and had baby blue eyes. Her straight blonde hair was tied up in a high-ponytail (which now reached her waist) and she had bangs which covered the right side of her face. To accessorise, a red hairclip held the left side of her hair and she wore small silver stud earrings.

As an agent she sported the Secret Service uniform that all academy students were required to wear: a black blazer over a long-sleeved white shirt with a tie, and pleated black pants. The uniform was made exactly the same for both male and female agents (as decided by the founder of the academy), so that gender was not discriminated against. In particular, the uniform was designed with the purpose of being easy to move around in and as a compulsory addition, a bullet proof vest had to be worn underneath the shirt at all times.

"Troublesome woman, do you have to be so loud first thing in the morning?" a voice lazily replied behind her and she turned around and frowned. This was Nara Shikamaru. He was an unenthusiastic but intelligent member of the Secret Service. He had fairly long jet black hair which was tied up in a spiky ponytail. His brown eyes were narrow and he wore stud earrings similar to the ones Ino wore.

"Hey Naruto, _we're_ here too!" a female voice exclaimed. A girl with Chinese-style buns on either side of her head barged through, pushing Shikamaru and Ino further into the room whilst revealing the others behind her. She had red ribbons around each bun and her short front fringe swayed slightly as she spoke. Her name was Tenten, an inquisitive, tomboyish agent and also an extreme feminist. She fiddled with her ribbons subconsciously.

"It's not like they make it any better…" a fair-skinned, lavender-eyed male murmured, walking into the room silently. He was Hyuga Neji, a mature and occasionally condescending agent from the Secret Service. His long dark brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail and framed his serious face.

"What did you say?!" Tenten growled, defensively covering up her ribbons with her hands so that they were absent from his sight. The corners of Neji's mouth turned up slightly in amusement.

Naruto watched their exchange with a sweat drop. "Uh, guys…" But he turned his head and smiled brightly when he saw the lavender-eyed female trailing behind the Hyuga. "Hinata-chan! Your hair looks great today!"

"T-thanks, N-Naruto-kun," she politely stuttered, playing with her fingers as a deep blush found its way to her face. Hyuga Hinata, Neji's cousin, was a shy and gentle girl. She was the most empathetic and thoughtful agent out of the gang. Her straight dark blue hair, which went up to her waist, contrasted with her fair skin. Her womanly figure and slightly larger bust made her stand out from Tenten and Ino.

Tenten and Ino's eyes met with knowing expressions as they watched their dark haired friend blush. The former turned away smiling but her head shot up suddenly as she remembered their original question. "Oh yeah, Naruto. What were you and Sasuke talking about?" she questioned, tilting her head slightly.

Feeling under pressure from the numerous heated pair of eyes directed on him, Naruto cautiously began, "Well… umm, I don't know how to tell you guys…" He took one tiny peek at the glaring Uchiha and spoke quickly. "Her name's Haruno Sakura. I saw her when she introduced herself as Sasuke's maid, but then we found out it was actually a mission to get to know him and now - " He took a deep breath. "She's going to become his partner," Naruto finished, cringing as he felt Sasuke's disturbingly murderous gaze.

Silence greeted the room as the others exchanged discreet, wary glances. The young Uchiha broke the long silence as he swiftly, but expertly smacked the back of Naruto's head. "Ignore Dobe. He's got the facts wrong." _'I'd never accept _her_ as my partner, anyway.'_

The boys looked at each other and Neji spoke up, "Uchiha. The academy has been trying to get you a partner for some time now. It would be wise if you thought about it." He watched as Sasuke's eyes clouded and looked down to see his hand as they curled into a fist.

Shikamaru sighed. "It's not really my business and it's isn't in my interest… but the longer you refuse, the longer they'll nag you. And then it just becomes a drag…. So, it's better to just listen to the higher ups on this one." The group waited quietly anticipating Sasuke's response.

However, the Uchiha had reached his limit. Unable to hear anymore, he slammed both hands on the table and turned to leave.

"Sasuke!" Naruto's eyes narrowed, laced with worry, as he called out after his best friend. _'We shouldn't have talked about it…'_ The others looked away in disappointment. They were well aware of how sensitive the agent-partner topic was to Sasuke, but they had at least hoped that he would have considered trying it out. To the young agent's dismay, however, he couldn't get any further than a step when he was abruptly stopped by a figure arriving at the doorway.

"Uchiha."

Sasuke growled and inwardly cursed as he recognised the familiar face. _'Why did she bother coming?'_ He observed her, glancing from head to toe and realised that she was dressed in what he thought looked like training clothes. She wore a scarlet sleeveless top with black gloves and pink elbow protectors. And on the lower half of her body she had on a short pink apron skirt with black shorts underneath and wore knee-length black boots.

"S-Sakura-chan!" Naruto stumbled, frantically looking back and forth between Sasuke and the pink haired woman in front of him. _'Out all times … she had to come at the worst one!' _The others perked up as they recognised the name from the conversation before and snapped their heads in her direction.

"Pink," Neji mused, taking a long look at Sakura's short hair which was tied back in a ponytail for convenience. The others watched in silence.

Sakura ignored the comment and her eyebrow twitched at the familiarity Naruto had used. _'-_chan_? He doesn't even _know_ me!'_ But she really wasn't all that troubled and decided to let it go as she focused on her bigger problem.

"Be my partner," she declared without thought, inwardly scolding herself at her risky start. _'Shit. I was too hasty. I should have started with a better line!'_

Sasuke's eyebrow raised in response to her boldness. "Haruno, you've got the order wrong. It's _you_ who has to ask to be _my_ partner," he taunted as he took a threatening step towards her. They were now close, almost at arm's distance.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. _'Arrogant bastard,' _she thought as she watched his lip curl in amusement. "I apologise. Please allow me to be your partner, Uchiha…san," she forced through her gritted teeth, praying that he would just give in before she blew up in anger.

"No," he said as he walked past her, reaching the door. His friends looked back at Sakura with sympathy, speculating her reaction.

"You arrogant bastard," she muttered under her breath, but it was far from incoherent and it was loud enough for the onyx-eyed male to hear. He stopped suddenly in his tracks and turned around raged. Naruto inwardly cringed as he watched the scene unfold and prayed that he wouldn't have to step in to stop Sasuke from losing control.

"What…what did you just say?" He snarled as he dangerously approached Sakura until he was standing right behind her.

Sakura turned to face the Uchiha with a confident look on her face, not missing the mixed looks of surprise and shock of the people around her. "Why can't you just accept me as a partner? Is it really that difficult to do? Or is it your damn pride that's rejecting me?"

"We've been through this before," he sighed with impatience as he stared dead straight at Sakura. "You haven't even _trained_ at the academy. Everyone here, starting from a young age, has attended this academy each day without fail. We've received intense training and have had to memorise every detail about different countries and how they run in order to be the best agent for this country. So tell me, why would I accept someone who out of the blue wishes to be my partner, when she doesn't seem to even have the _basic_ credentials?" Shikamaru winced at his choice of words and Hinata's eyes dropped sadly after watching Sakura with sympathy.

"Cre-credentials?" Sakura spat, fuming at his choice of words. "I'll have you know, Tsunade-sama put me through her monstrous training for 4 years. And also, for the past two years I've travelled around the world collecting information in secret about various governments and societies whilst training in some of the best dojos under well-known masters. So for 6 years, since the age of 12, I have isolated myself from society and my friends and I have trained day and night, _alone_, with my blood, sweat and tears. You have _no_ right whatsoever to pretend that you know me, so don't go thinking that you do. I won't allow you to speak lightly about my training and assume that I am lower than you, in any way," she fumed, shaking with indignation as she glared at the Uchiha with sharp defiance.

'_She's Tsunade's _apprentice_?...' _The look in Sasuke's eyes shifted and his tone softened ever so slightly. "And how did you get accepted here? Did Tsunade allow your entrance as part of preferential treatment?"

The emerald-eyed apprentice scowled as she reached into her sports bag and produced a blank envelope similar to the one she gave Sasuke back when she was his maid. "Read it," she said as she thrust it in his direction, turning her head the opposite way to avoid looking at him.

With a questioning look he tore open the envelope and took out the documents that were inside. In curiosity, Neji and Shikamaru edged closer and peered over Sasuke's shoulder as he scanned over the pages. Naruto and the girls watched with interest.

"Impressive," Neji began as he stole one searching look at Sakura before he continued. "It's not _just_ that she's Tsunade-sama's apprentice, but her exam and test results are on par with yours, Uchiha. As fellow agents in a partnership…it's the perfect combination."

"It's bothersome, but Neji's correct. The higher ups know what they're doing on this one." With a slight pause, Shikamaru resumed, "The chance of this type of compatibility occurring again is close to impossible. Especially after _that_ time, even people at the academy still hesitate when they're asked about the open position to be your partner."

Sasuke exhaled in frustration. He had asked to see the proof and she had given it to him. He thought about what she had said about her past and her efforts. If what she had said was true, he was impressed. She had literally gave him no plausible explanation to refuse her. And he inwardly sighed as Shikamaru's blunt words sunk in, _"Especially after _that_ time, even people at the academy still hesitate…"_ _That _time, huh? He was well aware that no one, unlike this girl, would approach him so carelessly in this daring sort of manner. And it irked Sasuke to unfathomable levels. Because however much he thought about it, he refused to accept her so easily.

Sakura stood in annoyance as she watched him stare at the documents for what seemed like the tenth time already. What was taking him so long to decide? Was it his pride? "Uchiha. You've been staring at that paper for the past five minutes," she stated.

Sasuke sighed in defeat and raised his head to look at her. "I won't believe a few written words until I see it myself." _'What will she do now?'_

"Well, that's easy then," she started, grinning widely as she faced him. "I, Haruno Sakura, challenge you, Uchiha Sasuke, to a one-on-one duel!" Sakura yelled, pointing her finger in his direction. She felt the uneasy glances around her and shifted her gaze as she wondered what she had said that had made them become like that.

"Sakura-chan... an official duel in the SSS is held in the stadium outside and is open to everyone else in the academy to watch," Naruto said, eyeing her nervously.

"Yeah and? Why are you assuming I'm going to lose?" Sakura's eyes narrowed in aggravation. "I entered this academy the same way you guys did, so of course I deserve a fair trial. In fact," her eyes glistened with hope. "_I'm_ the one with the advantage. If I win, fair and square, Uchiha has no way to refuse me because my victory would have been publicly observed by the students, the teachers and maybe even the higher ups... right?" she looked at Shikamaru and Neji, who she assumed were the brains of the gang.

"She has a point," Shikamaru agreed, aiming his next comment at the Uchiha. "Although, being beaten by a woman is not the outcome one would expect..." Neji vaguely nodded, but said nothing else.

"What?! Who says that women can't fight just as well as men?!" Tenten glared at the lazy agent. "Sakura-san, I'll support you. I think you made a brave decision!" she broke out into a grin, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"You can call me Sakura," the pink haired girl grinned back and then turned towards the others for their opinions. _'If I get a unanimous vote, then he _definitely_ won't have a way out!'_

"I'll c-cheer you o-on," Hinata stumbled, smiling gently as she stepped towards Sakura.

"Yeah... If you're as good as what's written on paper, then with all that talk and that wide forehead of yours, I'm sure you'll do okay," Ino scoffed, as she engaged in a heated stare down with her newly formed friend.

Sakura turned towards Sasuke and grinned. "Okay, Uchiha. What are your conditions and terms for the duel?"

He paused. _'If this is going to happen whether I like it or not...' _He began, "A sword fight. The person whose next move ultimately decides the outcome of the match, wins."

Looking at the nervousness the others emitted, she guessed that sword fights must have been his main strength. _'Well, it doesn't matter to me either way,' _she thought as she looked up at Sasuke. "If I win, I become your partner and if I lose..."

"You leave and never appear in my sight again," he finished. "The match will take place at the end of the day. So until then - "

"No. We'll have it now. I'm more than ready for it," she said, her eyes brimming with confidence as she pulled on her black gloves.

Sasuke couldn't stop the smirk that formed on his face. "Fine by me. I thought you would've needed more time to prepare." He was more than thrilled to have the match right now. The sooner it was held, the sooner it would be over. And the sooner he could send her away, because the more he thought about it, the more he disagreed with the idea of having a partner. He didn't need anyone else. He was a lone agent.

And that was all he ever wanted to be.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

I stood in the middle of the stadium carefully fiddling with my sword as I looked up at the seats. I was shocked to see endless crowds of people rushing into the stadium with animated chatter. What this really so exciting to them?

"You're lucky. It looks like the whole academy has come, forehead-girl!" the blonde agent speculated as she dragged the other two girls, Tenten and Hinata if I remembered correctly, to meet me. What was her name again? I had studied their names before on Tsunade's instruction. An animal of some sort… that's right, a boar!

Well if she was going to name call, two could play at that game. "Ino-pig," I greeted and was met with her annoyed expression.

"It because we haven't had an official duel in a while," the male Hyuga spoke as he too observed the crowd. Nara simply looked on with a bored expression that had only the briefest look of interest.

I shifted my attention to my competitor who walked in last. He was now clothed in his training attire, which I had to admit suited him well. He was dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt which was open at the torso, revealing his muscular chest. I noted that there was a symbol of a fan on his collar and recalled was his family's crest. He wore loose dark blue pants with a blue cloth hanging from halfway up his stomach to his knees. And he had black arm-guards that covered his forearms and stretched up to reach his upper biceps. A purple rope belt, tied in a bow around his waist, secured the sword that he carried.

Alongside him was the blonde guy … Uzamaki Naruto. They were best friends? I suddenly pitied him – being friends with an arrogant bastard must be tough. "Sakura-chan!" he grinned and I laughed in return. His childlike behaviour seemed like the reason I couldn't help but warm up to him even if I had only met him on a few occasions.

Focusing my attention on the dark haired agent, I straightened up. "Uchiha," I stiffly smiled, turning towards him as I bowed formally. When it came to battles Shishou always reminded me to behave with respect, no matter who the opponent was.

To my surprise he bowed back and signalled at the others to leave so it was just the two of us remaining at the centre of the stadium.

"Good luck, Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled, waving at me energetically. He took one comforting look at the Uchiha and ran before the he could lay even a finger on him. I couldn't help but feel that if these two were best friends… maybe there was a side to the Uchiha that I was unaware of? A side that I had yet to see…

A loud horn went off and I smiled as Shishou walked in with a megaphone. I listened as the crowd quietened until the only voice that could be heard was Tsunade-sama's. She welcomed the bustling crowd and thanked them for coming out of their usual lessons to attend the match. After a small bow she read out the conditions of the battle and turning to face the both of us, she reminded that injuries were to be avoided. My eyes widened in surprise as her eyes quickly darted to meet mine. It was only for a mere second but I was sure it was a mixed look of warning and worry. I inwardly laughed at her useless concern and smiled back in return as she resumed her focus on the crowd before her.

"Then… let the battle commence. Competitors please bow," Shishou instructed as she walked away, allowing room for us to start.

We bowed.

And the battle began.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

He didn't even allow me any time to think as he unsheathed his sword and lunged towards me at full speed. I barely had time to draw my own sword before I escaped as I leaped backwards, scarcely dodging the blow. Looking down at my torn sleeve, it suddenly hit me.

I had been complacent. He was serious about this.

Shit.

**Normal POV**

Sasuke's hard expression turned into a scowl as he watched his pink haired opponent barely escape his attack. "Quit day dreaming, Haruno. I'm serious." And Sakura knew from the look in Sasuke's eyes that he wasn't joking.

"I'm just getting warmed up," she cockily replied, inwardly cursing how careless she had been.

* * *

At the side-lines, Uchiha's fellow agents stood by as they watched the scene before them.

"She relaxed for just a second and he's already gained control," Neji mused, as his brows furrowed into concentration.

"Yeah, but the match has only just started. I think Sakura will win. No doubt!" Tenten exclaimed with glee as she watched her new friend with confidence in her eyes. Naruto and Ino nodded in agreement as they too focused their attention on the pair.

Neji sighed as he watched them and shook his head. _'They're too optimistic about this…'_ He looked down at his cousin and observed that she seemed rather worried, not really supporting one person in particular.

"S-Sakura-san… S-Sasuke-kun…" she sadly muttered as she watched.

"Tenten may be right," Shikamaru began, causing the others to turn their heads in shock. He assessed the situation before him with scrutinising eyes. "There's a possibility that she might gain the upper hand…" The others looked at him in curiosity but when he refused to say anymore they resumed their focus to the centre of the stadium.

* * *

Sakura heard the cheering above her and frowned. '_Do they _really_ enjoy watching people hurt each other?'_ She sighed in disapproval and stared at the Uchiha. _'Alright! It's _my_ turn to get serious.'_

She charged forward and boldly lashed out with her sword. Sasuke calmly blocked her attack and they stood in silence as their swords resisted each other with a sharp _clang_.

"You're too obvious to read. Your attacks are direct," Sasuke taunted with a smirk.

"Shut up!" she roared, narrowing her eyes in anger. Increasing the strength behind the hold on her sword, she unleashed her full force as she overpowered Sasuke and drove her sword upwards, surprising him, as she sent his sword flying.

He flipped backwards to avoid being attacked whilst he was defenceless and caught his sword with ease as it softly landed in his hands. _'She's strong!'_ he observed through narrowed eyes. _'It's no wonder she's Tsunade's apprentice. But sword fights don't rely on strength, anyway...' _

"Go, Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled, as the restless crowd cheered at the sudden turn of events.

"Tch," Sasuke uttered in displeasure. _'Dobe's going to get it when I finish this!"_

Sakura witnessed the annoyed expression on his usually impassive face and inwardly laughed. _'So he _has_ got a heart?_ _Since he cares about what his friend thinks and all...'_ It somehow made her think differently about him and she smiled.

"I'm going to win this, Uchiha," she declared as she charged forwards.

"Keep dreaming," the young agent scowled as he ducked from her lethal attack. She continued to fight with a series of quick close-range attacks and he dodged each one with ease. _'With her strength, if I get hit I'm pretty much over. If I find her weakness however …'_

His eyes widened slightly as he saw an opening and quickly sprang forwards to attack her right side. Using the sword to assist her, she flipped backwards until she reached the opposite side of the stadium. She stayed in a crouched position, holding her sword vertically on the ground for support, as the Uchiha looked straight at her from a distance.

'_Shit! He's figured it out…!' _She winced ever so slightly, trying to keep a straight face. '_He must have seen it when I was attacking.'_

'_I was right. Her right side is her weakness. Maybe it's injured?' _Sasuke smirked slightly as he realised what he'd have to do. _'Not that it matters to me. I'm taking control.'_

"Looks like I _am_ ending this after all, Haruno," his eyes narrowed as he ran towards her crouched figure without hesitation.

* * *

"Sakura," Tsunade murmured with rising concern as she watched her confident student crouching on the floor in pain. _'She's hiding it well, but Sasuke's probably already figured it out.' _She remembered the smile Sakura flashed in response to her look of warning at the beginning of the fight. _'She shouldn't have fought… not after I injured the right side of her abdomen in this morning's practice!'_

"It looks like she's already been injured?" Tenten keenly observed, as Ino and Hinata looked on worriedly. They had grown to like the pink haired girl. They had acknowledged her after hearing her passionate talk about what it had taken her to get where she was today.

"Yeah… that's what it looks like," Shikamaru confirmed and stepped closer with Neji to see the final move.

* * *

Sakura panicked as she saw him getting closer. '_This damn bruise!' _she inwardly swore as she remembered the blow Tsunade had dealt earlier that day. _'It probably started to worsen as the fight went on… and now its pain is taking effect…' _Her attention diverted as she heard the crowd's cheers and she reminded herself that people were _expecting_ her to lose. _'There's no way I'll lose. I'll show them... I'll show them that I'm _not_ fighting a losing battle!' _She bit her lip and looked up at the advancing Uchiha as she made her up mind. _'If he's going to corner me by attacking my right side… then I'll just _let_ him!'_

She stood up with determination and ran towards him. The obsidian haired Uchiha swerved as he missed Sakura's descending sword and aimed for her right hip.

'_She'll dodge and then the next move is mine!'_ His expression became aggressive. The whole crowd went dead silent as they witnessed what they imagined would be the deciding move.

But Sasuke did not expect what happened next.

Time seemed to have temporarily slowed down as Sakura violently thrust forward and her abdomen met with the tip of sword. It plunged into her flesh as it tore open her clothes and pierced her pale skin. Thick, warm red liquid hurriedly oozed out of Sakura's side and Sasuke's eyes widened as he felt Sakura's blade by his head, at the base of his neck.

'_W-What is this? She took my attack….!' _Sasuke could not believe what had just happened. He peered at the sword by his head and then at his sword which gleamed as it slowly dripped with blood. _'She didn't dodge…!'_

He was rendered speechless.

He was stunned.

"Sasuke!" a voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up in a daze and saw Naruto and the others running towards him with concern.

Coming to his senses, the young Uchiha quickly pulled out the sword from Sakura's side and met her emerald orbs as he caught her. "Oi! Haruno… Haruno!" he called, as he crouched on the floor with her bleeding body in his arms.

'_Did I do it?' _she thought as her head began to spin. _'It's funny, I don't feel all that great,'_ she thought as darkness filled her mind and she fell limp.

* * *

Tsunade stood in shock as she tried to take in what had just happened. Sakura just took the blow? Just like that? Narrowing her eyes and shaking her head slowly, she quickly took out her phone and requested for a team of private medics to attend to her apprentice. Ending the call abruptly, she assessed the crowd who were enthusiastically gossiping about what they'd just seen and then looked down at Sakura and the others. She ran down to meet them.

Tsunade promptly approached Sakura, who was still lying in Sasuke's arms, and bent down to lift her into her own arms as she checked her pulse. "She's okay. I think she's just unconscious from the shock… we'll have to wait until the medics arrive to be sure." She ripped a small fragment of cloth from her clothes and tied it tightly around her wound. _'This should help stop the bleeding for a bit.'_

Ino and Tenten deeply sighed as relief rushed through leaving them weak. Hinata smiled delicately, crouching near Sakura's limp body as she remembered how brave she had been. _'I'd n-never have been a-able to do that,' _she thought, as the look in her eyes became distant.

"Did you see that?!" Naruto exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air as he threw himself at Hinata and hugged her tightly, dispelling any thoughts she had had before as she deeply blushed.

Shikamaru smiled slightly and it disappeared as Ino approached him. "You knew she'd win?" she asked.

"Yeah… She's like Naruto. Unpredictable," he started, pushing his hands in his pockets. "Sasuke excels in everything he does and although her skill matches his, she outdoes him when it comes to 'thinking outside the box' as you'd call it," purposely simplifying it for Ino to understand.

"I'm _not_ stupid!" she growled as she head him mutter, "troublesome woman."

Neji approached the shocked Uchiha who stood lifelessly staring at Sakura's body which lay in Tsunade's arms. "Have you accepted her as your partner now?" the lavender-eyed male asked.

Sasuke blinked once and then looked up at him. "She won the match," he stated, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"That doesn't mean your _heart_ has accepted her," he smirked as he walked off, leaving the young male in deep thought.

Tsuande watched the exchange between Sasuke's friends and then looked down at Sakura fondly. _'You've gained good friends, Sakura. I hope you realise that…' _

"Your apprentice has done awfully well, hasn't she?" a voice sprung out from behind her and she smiled as she recognised who it belonged to.

"Kakashi," she greeted without looking at him as he crouched down by her side and handed over her megaphone. "Of course. Sakura was going to win from the start," she grinned, hiding her relief as she attentively brushed the strands of hair from Sakura's eyes. Kakashi stood up as he shoved both hands into his pockets and looked around at the crowd's excited chatter. The corners of his eyes wrinkled slightly as he smiled.

Following his gaze, Tsunade took the megaphone from the ground and lifted it to her lips. She coughed twice to gain the crowd's attention. _'Even though everyone probably knows who's won, it has to be formally declared, right?'_ she thought as she smiled brightly.

"The duel is now over and the champion has been decided. The winner is… Haruno Sakura!" Tsunade declared proudly with her pink haired student in her arms.

'_She won.' _Sasuke's gaze turned towards Sakura and he frowned.

"She _actually_ won…"

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**IMPORTANT: In the previous chapter I said that Naruto and the gang were 19 but I've changed it to 18, instead.…. **

**Hm…Do you know what I have most trouble with when I write? I have to adjust my British English to American English… like "trousers" are actually "pants" for Americans… or "Head teacher" is actually "School Principal"…. Or "torch" is actually "flashlight," (referring to chapter 1). Because I realised that a majority of Fanfic readers are outside of UK *sweat drop* so there's no point in using British English. *sigh***

**Anyways, rant over, I'd like to thank everyone for reading my last chapter. Please continue supporting me and I will continue updating :P**

**And a special thanks to the following people for reviewing/following/putting my story on favourite: **

_notyouraverageshorty_

_LostInTheCosmos _

_TheGirlWhoIsInLoveWithJapan _

_Shigirl012 _

_sakurasasuke4evah _

_BelieverinMusic_

* * *

**Remember, I welcome any sort of comment – the good, the bad and the ugly :D**

**Thank you!**

x-Scarlet Warrior-x


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